Eric Richins (image via obituary), Kouri Richins goes on the news to talk about his book (ABC 4/screenshot)
In March 2022, it appeared a father of three sons died suddenly at the age of 39 in Summit County, Utah after drinking a Moscow Mule his wife made for him in bed. More than a year later, however, Eric Eugene Richins’ wife is accused of murdering him with fentanyl which she allegedly described as “some of the Michael Jackson stuff” when she asked a awareness.
According to the warrant in support of her arrest, Kouri Darden Richins, 33, faces charges of aggravated murder and possession of a controlled substance because she “intentionally or knowingly caused[d] the death” of her husband “by means of the administration of poison or any lethal substance or any substance administered in lethal amount, dosage or amount”.
Kouri, a real estate agent, allegedly told Summit County Sheriff’s Office investigators that she and her husband were celebrating her closing of a home late at night on March 3, 2022. She allegedly said that she had done some Eric a Moscow Mule – a popular vodka-based cocktail – before suddenly dying.
“The defendant testified that she made Eric a Moscow mule in the kitchen and brought him to their bedroom where Eric consumed him while he was sitting up in bed,” the documents state. “The only people present in the house were the accused, Eric, and their children. The defendant said she went to bed and soon after fell asleep with one of the children in the child’s bedroom because the child had a night terror. The accused said she woke up around 3:00 a.m. and returned to her room and Eric’s. She smelled Eric and he was cold to the touch. The accused then called 911.
Investigators say they have evidence the suspect deleted messages she sent and received on her phone before calling 911.
“The defendant told law enforcement that when she left her room to go to her child’s room, she left her phone plugged in next to her bed and did not take it into her child’s room. her child. However, between the time the defendant said she went to the child’s room and the time she called 911, the status of her phone indicates that it was locked and unlocked multiple times and that there was also movement recorded on the phone. Additionally, tolls on the defendant’s phone show that messages were sent and received during this time,” the warrant said. These posts have been deleted.”
A subsequent autopsy revealed that Eric Richins had died of a fentanyl overdose after consuming the drug orally. Authorities said “the level of fentanyl in Eric’s system was about five times the lethal dose.”
Further investigation would have revealed that Kouri Richins communicated with an acquaintance, a person identified only as CL in the documents, between December 2021 and February 2022. These alleged communications related to drugs – specifically fentanyl – and investigators say Kouri Richins even tried to poison her husband on Valentine’s Day:
About two weeks later, the defendant contacted CL again and said its investor wanted something stronger and asked for “some of the Michael Jackson stuff.” The accused specifically asked for fentanyl. CL contacted a dealer in Ogden on February 11, 2022 and obtained 15-30 fentanyl tablets from this dealer. The accused came to CL’s home in Heber and CL delivered the pills to the accused. CL received $900 for these pills. Three days later, on February 14, 2022, Eric and the accused had a Valentine’s Day dinner at their home in Kamas. Shortly after dinner, Eric fell very ill. Eric believed he had been poisoned. Eric told a friend he thought his wife was trying to poison him.
Kouri Richins is accused of acquiring more fentanyl and murdering her husband weeks later.
“About two weeks later, the defendant contacted CL again to request an additional $900 worth of fentanyl pills. CL again contacted the dealer Ogden on February 26, 2022 and obtained the pills. told CL to leave the pills at the outhouse of the Midway house where there was money waiting for him. Six days later, on March 4, 2022, Eric was found dead of a fentanyl overdose,” indicate court documents.
Law&Crime has contacted the defendant’s attorney, Skye Lazaro, for comment.
Eric Richins lived to the full and with few regrets, according to his obituary, which detailed “a love for hunting, the family ranch and his mad drive as a successful entrepreneur.”
“Being the eldest was a dubious task, but he was up for the challenge and fiercely ruled and loved his sisters. At an early age, Eric learned the joys of herding horses and cows,” the obituary said. “He spent countless hours helping his dad work the ranch, hauling the hay, feeding the animals and fixing the fences. He loved his family unconditionally and was a devoted son, brother and uncle.
Eric’s family said he “always strived to be the absolute best father and husband”, and noted that he and Kouri had been married for nine years.
“Eric was fun loving and was always the life of the party,” the obituary continued.
As for Kouri, she has publicly written a book, supposedly to help her children, as well as other children, better understand and cope with the loss of a loved one. On Amazon, Kouri Richins’ book “Are You With Me?” is presented as a “comforting and reassuring […] must-read” for children who have “felt the pain of loss” and for parents “who want to give their children the emotional support they need to heal and grow.”
“Wherever you go, whoever you become, their love remains with you. A comforting and reassuring book that gently guides children through the difficult experience of losing a loved one. Written by a loving mother who has personally up to that challenge, this book is designed to offer comfort and reassurance to young minds in a way that is both accessible and engaging,” the book’s description reads. “With vivid and colorful illustrations, ‘Are You With Me’ follows the story of a child who has lost his father, but who remembers that his presence still exists around them, just as an angel watches over them. Whether it’s playing in the park or simply enjoying some quiet time at home, the child takes comfort in knowing that his father is always by his side.
Richins touted her book on ABC 4’s “Good Things Utah” in a segment as recently as April that described her as an “incredible mother.”
“So my husband passed away suddenly last year, so it’s March 4th, it’s our first birthday for us. He was 39. It completely shocked us all and we have three little boys – 10, 9 and 6,” she said. And my kids and I kind of wrote this book about the different emotions and grieving processes that we went through in the last year, hoping it might help other kids, you know, with that and, you know, finding happiness somehow another.”
Richins said the book was a way to learn not only to grieve as a widow and wife, but also as a parent who has to answer their children’s questions about what happened to their father. She discussed the “three Cs” – “connection, continuity and care”.
“So you wrote this book with your children?” Richins was questioned.
“I did,” she replied. “I just wanted a story to read to my kids at night.”
“I took some things my kids told me last year and we kind of articulated them and put them into a story,” Richins added, hoping the book would help other kids.
There have been cases where an author’s work has been read in a different light after the death of a loved one. This time, however, the book was written only as an afterthought.
Watch the interview below:
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